FAQ
Centennial School District Transportation Department FAQ
This page is intended to provide general information and answer our most frequently asked questions regarding transportation of students living in Centennial School District. We have attempted to provide as much information as possible, but you may still have questions or concerns that are not addressed in this document. If you still have questions, please feel free to email the Transportation Department at transdept@centennialsd.org for more information. You may also refer to the district website, School Board Policies and Procedures, 810-ARs Transportation, for additional information.
Q: The bus stop that my child used in previous years no longer exists - why did the bus stops change from previous years?
A: We have established consolidated bus stops throughout the school district for all students, for both public and non-public schools. The primary reason for this change is the consolidation of our elementary schools and the need to adjust for the larger attendance zones, the additional bus riders, and streamlining bus routes for timely arrival of our buses.
Q: I can no longer see the bus stop from my house or the end of my driveway and I feel it is unsafe.
A: Unfortunately, we cannot establish bus stops based on whether you can observe the bus stop from your property. There are many families in the district that are unable to see the bus stop from their residence. If we were to use that as the standard for determining bus stop locations, we would not be able to transport students in a timely fashion without a significant increase in the size of the fleet.
Q: How far are the students required to walk to the bus stops?
A: We have established a general limit for the distance students have to walk to a bus stop, as follows:
Elementary students will generally walk no more than 1/3 of a mile to a bus stop.
Secondary students will generally walk no more than 1/2 of a mile to a bus stop.
Q: I do not agree with the location of my child's bus stop, how can I get it changed?
A: Any requests must be made using the Bus Stop Change Request Form. It can be emailed to transdept@centennialsd.org or faxed to (215) 675-3029. Requests will be evaluated and a response sent back regarding the outcome of your request.
Q: I see Centennial vehicles driving outside the school district every day when I go to work. Why don't you stop transporting students out of the school district and use those vehicles to transport the children attending the schools in our own community?
A: We are required to do so in order to comply with Pennsylvania law, specifically ACT 372, which states that any school district provides transportation services to its public school students, it is also required to provide transportation services to those attending schools up to 10 miles from the district boundaries. Eliminating those routes is not an option for the school district.
Q: I did not receive a post card with transportation information and I do not see a bus stop close to my home. How far does my child have to walk to school?
A: The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania has established Walking Distances up to 1.5 miles for elementary students and 2.0 miles for secondary students. However, the Centennial School Board has established shorter distances for those living within Centennial School District, as follows:
Elementary - up to 1.0 miles
Secondary - up to 1.5 miles
These distances may be modified to avoid students walking along designated Hazardous Routes.
Q: What is a Hazardous Route and how is that designation made?
A: In Centennial School District, a portion of a road or an entire roadway can be designated Hazardous by either PennDOT or the Centennial School Board of Directors. A road (or portion thereof) may be designated Hazardous based on a combination several characteristics including, but not limited to, volume of traffic, width of roadway, accidents during times students would traverse the area, lack of sidewalks/pavements, speed limit established along the road, and other general safety concerns.
Q: My street, or a portion of the road my child walks to school or the bus stop, does not have sidewalks/pavements; doesn't that make it a Hazardous Route?
A: In most cases, it does not. The absence of sidewalks is not the sole determining factor in the designation of a Hazardous Route, it is but one of the many characteristics of a roadway that is considered in that determination.
Q: I live on a street that has been designated a Hazardous Route (either by PennDOT or Centennial School District), does that mean my child will be picked up at my driveway?
A: Not necessarily. PennDOT standards for Hazardous Routes state that students may walk up to 500 feet along a Hazardous Route. However, we understand that in some cases that walking that distance is not feasible and, in those situations, a bus stop is established at the end of the driveway to your residence.
Q: How long may a student ride on a bus?
A: While there is no limit established by law, the recommendations of the Pennsylvania Department of Education are a ride time of less than 60 minutes for schools within the district boundaries and 120 minutes for schools outside the district boundaries and within the 10-mile limit mentioned above.
Q: My child has reported that there is a problem on the bus with another student, what can I do to resolve this problem?
A: You should instruct your child to report any issues of this nature to an adult - be it the bus driver, a teacher or counselor at school, or the building Principal. If your child does not feel comfortable doing so, you should call the school directly so that they can investigate and resolve the issue.
Q: I have a question that is not listed here - who do I ask?
A: Send an email to the address listed at the top of the FAQ, we will get a response to you as soon as we can. Your question may also be added to this FAQ for the benefit of other families in the district.